Tales of a Geisha
by isumio
Summary: RitsuxMio


I sat on the futon that Futonashi-sama had set out for me with a sigh, adjusting my kimono to appropriately cover my cleavage again as I gazed out of my small window at the star filled sky, memories of that person running through my head, just like every other night. "Ritsu….when will you buy me away from this place…"I muttered, a lone tear finding it's way down my cheek, I sniffed and brushed it away before it dripped onto my garments. With one last, lengthy sigh I layed down on my side and rested my head on a soft pillow,closing my eyes and drifting off into memorys of her.

X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X

_"Pochi, c-come back! "I pleaded, chasing the white mutt through the small, dusty district, people either side-stepping out of our way or getting bumped into by me, yelling as I fled after my puppy. My yukata was now torn up to the knees, and one of the sleeves was torn from a run-in I had with a stray bush that had escaped my notice. I had lost a sandal to mud, and the other I hadn't owned in the first place.I was just about to give up and go tell father that we would have to wait for pochi to come home, hoping he hadn't eaten anyone's food again, when a brunette about my age came into my site with pochi in tow, his rope that acted as a leash in her grasp. She was wearing boy's clothing oddly, and she had a piece of cloth that was acting to hold her bangs from falling onto her forehead. "Ne, Kuroi-chan, keep better control of you're dog." She barked at me, pressing the leash into my palms. I blushed a little, flustered by this rude behavior._

_"A-a-arigauto goizamasu…"I managed to mutter, looking away as the brunette walked with me back to me and my father's little shack, pochi in tow reluctantly, as the little white dog kept darting around, wanting to eat the first thing he smelled or pee on the first tree he saw." hehe, it's no problem. Say, what's you're name? "She asked, grinning like a child who just got a new toy." M-my name's Akiyama Mio…."I muttered, stopping and bowing to her." M-may I know you're name please?" I asked politely, she just smiled bigger and chuckled." My name is Tainaka Ritsu, and you don't need to be so formal Mio-chan~" She announced rather loudly, embracing me tightly, much to my embarrassment ."R-Ritsu-san!" I screamed, shaking her off and running away as she chased me._

X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X

I woke up from my dream reluctantly, blinking and putting a hand up to block the sunlight streaming through the window from interfering with my site. I sighed sadly, upset that my pleasant dream had ended so quickly. Even if I hadn't realized it, that day had been the beginning of my life-long relationship with Ritsu Tainaka, and the ordeals we were going to be forced to endure.

That day after I had arrived home, my father sold pochi, much to my dismay, but he said that we needed the money just to afford rice. Ritsu was the one who comforted me that night, instead of my father, who had to go away to meet the man he was to sell pochi to, and we quickly became friends, and continued to bond from the time we were merely 8 to the fated time on my 11th birthday. My father woke me up that morning and told me that he would miss me very much, held my tightly,then departed.

I didn't understand at first, but later that day a lady came into our shack and took me to her establishment, a geisha house. She slowly explained to me that my father had sold me into her services, and that I would under-go training to become a geisha, until I was finally old enough and ready to be one, or someone bought me away from her before that happened. As one would expect, this news upset me greatly and I fell into a depression. I remained that way for several days,refusing to eat or drink, until one of the elder geisha's announced that I had a visitor. It was Ritsu. She embraced me tightly that day and promised that she would visit me every day, and that she would one day buy me away from the head geisha, Futonashi-sama, and let me lead my own life as I pleased.

It was also that day that I promised myself that I would stay with her my entire life, because she was the only person that made me feel safe, and was always there for me. Of course, I didn't announce this to ritsu, that would be so embarrassing...

Since that day, Ritsu has not broken her promise to visit me, and she has pulled me out of depression every time I fell into that deep dark hole. Yet, being poor herself, she has not earned the money to buy me away, though she has been saving every day of her life, even starving for several days for me. Of course, I eventually managed to convince her to spend money on her food so as not to starve, after all, she couldn't earn much money while mal-nurished.

Don't get me wrong, the geisha's didn't treat me badly, instead I was like there little princess, they taught me how to play the tsugaru shamisen when I showed an interest, and they even went so far as to spoil me every now and then, but I didn't want to be one of them. I had always been interested in art, and I wanted to become an artist, one who's name was known all the way to the most northern area of Hokkaido, but I was not taught how to paint here, so I needed to get out. Not to mention my love for Ritsu.

If there was one thing I'd missed around here though, it would be Yui-chan. She was under similar circumstances to mine, but she had noone to buy her away, and she was not once sad or un-lively. She was probably my best friend aside from Ritsu…perhaps when I can sell my paintings for 65,000,000 yen apiece I will buy her away so she can live her own life. She always said she wanted to make noodles, for some reason, that girl sure liked to eat…

My train of thought was interrupted as Yui rolled my door to the side, standing in the doorway clad in an elegant blue kimono with a sakura petal pattern on it. I giggled a little at her attire _That does not fit her at all_ I thought to myself as she grinned at me."Ohio Mio-chan, Ric-chan is here early to see you, she says she has good news! "She announced." Ah, would you please tell her to come in in just one second Yui-chan? "I asked, smiling sincerely as I got up, brushing a lose strand of hair out of my field of vision. "Hai, Mio-chan!" She announced loudly, closing the door and marching away to announce what she had been told to Ritsu. I sighed lightly, I really liked that girl but whenever she was in my company I felt like she was sucking the energy out of me.

_It might finally be the day_… I thought gleefully, picking up my mirror and beginning to arrange my now messy hair, so I would look presentable for my beloved Ritsu…


End file.
